Katrina - 20 Years

 

Katrina was unlike anything we had ever seen. Everyone knows the story of New Orleans, but what’s often forgotten is how Mississippi and the rest of Louisiana were devastated too. By the time Katrina reached where I lived, she had weakened to a Category 1 hurricane—but she was still fierce. Our reservoir churned with 14-foot waves, and we were without power for two weeks. Even then, we considered ourselves lucky compared to the people to our south, who endured unimaginable loss.

We must never forget what happened in New Orleans. The people there were failed. And we must also remember the many others Katrina touched—their lives, too, were forever changed.

Below is an excerpt from my blog, written on August 28, 2005. 

Katrina is on her way

Katrina Packing Wind of Nearly 175 Mph 
AP - 1 hour, 11 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Ray Nagin ordered an immediate evacuation Sunday for all of New Orleans, a city sitting below sea level with 485,000 inhabitants, as Hurricane Katrina bore down with wind revved up to nearly 175 mph and a threat of a massive storm surge. Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort including the Superdome arena. "This is a once in a lifetime event," the mayor said. "The city of New Orleans has never seen a hurricane of this magnitude hit it directly." From Yahoo

This is going to be bad, I hope all my friends in NO and the Coast are Hitailing it out!! My thoughts are with you all!!!!

I can still vividly recall standing in the middle of my street, surrounded by darkness. The sky was full of stars, and the only sound was the low, steady hum of generators.

The Reader

The Mary Lib Saleh Euless Public Library in Euless, TX stands out as the public library with the most monuments I’ve ever seen. Just outside its entrance, there’s a particularly touching memorial that immediately caught my attention. What makes it especially heartwarming is the inclusion of the man’s dog as part of the tribute. Even more meaningful is the fact that the dog’s head remains shiny and free of patina—clearly from the many people who have lovingly rubbed it over time. It’s a quiet, beautiful reminder of the deep bond between humans and their loyal companions.

Memories

This is one of my favorite photos of my mom, my nephew, and me. We lost her on this very day in 2014, and not a single day goes by without missing her. Now, my nephew has grown into his own man—no longer the little kid he once was. Looking back on these memories fills me with joy, reminding me of how things used to be and the smiles that came with them. Though time has passed, those moments remain a cherished part of my heart.

Memoriam

  When the events of the world grow too heavy to bear,
and fear grows deep inside.

Seek out kinds words to hear,

words to comfort and guide. 

In memory of those lost on American Airlines 5342 operated by PSA and the Army Black Hawk on 1/29/25. 

Bailey

 He was six when we made the journey from North Carolina to Texas.  We started a new life with one another. It wasn’t easy, he comforted me when I lost my grandma and my mom. Eventually, he went to live with Manny but remained a part of my life.  He would always brighten my day with his excitement to see me.  As he got older I would worry more; but I knew he was taken care of. He crossed the bridge just shy of his 19th birthday.  I will miss him until we meet again. 

Bailey Santos 1-6-2006 to 1-3-2025

Kai

 Kai came into my life as this little goofy ball of energy. He grew into a massive bundle of gentle kindness. He showered everyone with love and he made a lasting impression for anyone who had the honor to meet him. He was this bright light that I will miss until the day I get the chance to see him again. I love you Kai-Dog. You were absolutely a good boy through and through. Thank you for being a part of my life

Paws

 My life has been touched by many people… But not just people.  I wanted to take a moment and remember the furry ones from my past that have touched my soul.   They have had a profound impact on who I am and I think of them often.  

Buddyroe and his ball.  

Dottie

Peppermint Patty "Peppie"

Red Dog and Simon 

Scrappy

Shadow

Smokie

Celeste

 Celeste passed from our world at around 4:30 on 15OCT.  She was anywhere from 16-17 years old.  

I will never forget the moment we saw her at the petstore.  Already middle aged at 8; she was eager for love and attention though glass separated us.  She had been returned three times by three different families.   All these years later I never will understand why anyone would have returned her.  She was such a sweet girl always willing to give love and attention.  

She made a lasting impact on my life and I will always hold her in my heart.  

Debbie

How can you say goodbye to someone that meant the world to you?

If you figure this out, please let me know.

Debbie was my best friend, there is no doubt to that.  She came into my life so suddenly at the end of a chapter.  We were a family, she guided me and listened when I needed it most.  I will never forget our many adventures and the things we saw together.  Everything from spontaneous trips down the trace to sitting at 10 pm on the reservoir looking at the moon in a telescope.   We were there for one another for many years.  When circumstances forced her to leave Mississippi, Debbie pushed me to do the same.  I don’t know that I would have without her support and urging.  Even when life finally did separate us she was there for me and I was there for her too.   I was there when she passed, I don’t know why it happened the way it did… I never will understand it.  The night before there was no warning, we talked and things were like it used to be… and then she was gone.   Things happen that we can never understand and I know that I am very blessed to have had her in my life.  I there isn’t a day where I do not think of her, my heart will forever be missing a piece.   Miss you, Debbie.

Deborah Emiline Reeder Smith 

November 15, 1965 – March 15, 2007

Deborah Emiline Reeder Smith, 51, of Panama City, FL passed away suddenly on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.  She was born on November 15, 1965 in Natchez, MS.  Debbie was employed as a Human Resource Director with Community Based Options in Panama City.  She was a Bay County resident since moving here from Brandon, MS around 6 years ago.

Debbie had a passion for crafts, loved to paint and cook.  She was GG to her grandson Brantley whom she loved unconditionally and who brought unlimited joy into her life.

She is preceded in death by her father, Joseph Steven “Steve” Reeder.

Debbie is survived by her daughter, Samantha Smith; a grandson, Brantley Farkash; her mother, Judy Reeder; her sister, Stephanie Glidden (Eric); a brother, Joey Reeder; a niece, Kaitlin Gordon; a nephew, Will Reeder; and her special friends, Sundei Granberg, Grant Blakeney, Sue Nester, and Donna “DJ” Heaton.

A celebration of her life will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at Southerland Family Funeral Home Chapel.  The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 A.M. until service time.

My Mama

From my first moments you were there... From the moment I existed you were my built-in-best-friend. Though things were not always perfect and distance divided us... I never once doubted that you loved me. I'm trying to figure out how to find you in a world you don't physically exist in anymore. I'm trying to figure out how to live with a broken heart. I love you very much, Mama.

Tina Louise Wixson (August 10, 1960 - April 12, 2014)   Tina Louise Wixson, 53, passed from this life Saturday, April 12, 2014 at her home in Pearl. Visitation will be held 5:00-8:00pm, Monday, April 14, 2014 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home. Graveside services are 11:00am, Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at the Drakes United Methodist Church Cemetery in Flowood. She was born Wednesday, August 10, 1960 in Jackson, Mississippi, a daughter of the late Grant Wixson and Louise Hawthorne Wixson. She was employed for several years as a school bus driver with the Pearl School District. She loved spending time at her home on the Pearl River and gardening in her yard. A gifted artist, Tina painted many artworks which her family and friends will treasure as keepsakes of her love for them. Survivors include son, J. Grant Wixson Blakeney; daughter, Christina Louise Shores; brothers, James Wixson and wife Michele and Bubba Wixson and wife Becky; sister, Sheila Williams and husband Marvin; and grandchild, Hayden Shores.

My Hero...

On Sunday January 6, 2013 I lost my hero.   My Grandmother Lalia Louise Hawthorne Wixson passed from this world.  It is a hard thing to accept, someone that meant so much to me no longer a phone call away… There are moments where it is almost unbearable.

But then I think of the legacy that she left me.

Every time I look in the mirror, I see her work in progress.  She took me in when I needed her and she insured that I went to school and had every tool that she was able to give me to live the best life I possibly can.   

And I will. 

Every breath I take, every moment… will be in honor of her. 

Lalia Louise Wixson

August 4, 1939 – January 6, 2013

Louise Wixson, 73, passed from this life Sunday, January 6, 2013 at Hospice Ministries, Ridgeland.

Visitation is 5:00-8:00pm Monday, January 7, 2013 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Graveside services arer 2:30pm Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at Drakes United Methodist Church Cemetery in Flowood. 

She was born August 4, 1939 in Madison County, a daughter of the late Robert Lee Hawthorne and Catherine Lee Eley Hawthorne. She was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker and a member of Drakes United Methodist Church.

Survivors include sons, James Grant Wixson and wife Michele and Bubba Wixson and wife Becky; daughters, Sheila Williams and husband Marvin and Tina Wixson; brother, Henry Hawthorne; sisters, Sarah Haskins, Betty Dulworth, Annette Creel, Clara Reid and Margaret Hawthorne; grandchildren, Jayroe Williams and wife Rebecca, Heather Williams, Christina Shores, Grant Blakeney, John Wixson and Kirby Wixson; and great-grandchildren, Autumn Williams, Destiny Crosby, Hanna Crosby, Hayden Shores and Charles Williams.

Hope

The darkness can be suffocating robbing you of everything that you hold dear.  It can be so dark and despair so overwhelming that it seems that there is no way out.   I lost a friend to this darkness and it is a darkness myself have found myself inside.  A deep dark inky place of tears and hopelessness, but no matter how dark it seems… there is a way out.  No matter how bad things seem, it will always get better.  Things go in a wheel time pushes us along and soon we will stumble from the darkness into the light and wonder why we stayed so long trapped in despair.

You just have to keep hope that you will find out way on the trail to the light.

Keep hope…

Just hope.

It is all you need.

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

In Loving Memory Of Loraine Crockett, May You Find Peace On Your Journey, And Know You Were Loved By So Many!

Remember

September 11, 2001 a day that will forever be remembered as a moment in time where it all changed.   Not just for the American people who were attacked during peacetime on their own soil, but for those affected by the repercussions that spread thereafter like ripples in a pond. From New York to London all the way to Kabul, Bagdad and Abbottabad, this chilly morning ten years ago was the moment that everything changed. 

  Today I remember the heroes that lost their lives, and all the men and women of all nations that continue to fight in the War on Terror.   I also thank all the men and women who put their lives on the line everyday to ensure the safety of all of us from firemen to police all the way to EMTs and TSA.   Thank you.  

My words will forever pale to express the sorrow and horror of that chilly morning ten years ago.  I wrote this poem in the aftermath of that fateful day, and ten years later I feel it still expresses my thoughts and feelings.   Bless America and her allies.

United

11-September-2001

We will never be the same, they have seen to that.

They have broken our hearts, but not our spirit.

For once again we stand a nation united.

United under God.

United under freedom.

United Under courage.

United under the great banner adorned with stars and stripes.

Forever we will stand one nation indivisible.

They may try, but they can not take that away!

 

(These photos are from the 9-11 memorial in Panama City, FL. All Images and Words ©2011 J.G.W. Blakeney)

Shining Star

Every family has a shining star, someone that stands out and works to keep the family together.   My family has been lucky to have been blessed with more than one of these stars, and My Great-Aunt Frances Anderson was one of these that shown as bright as the stars in all the sky.   She was responsible for so many wonderful gatherings that united immediate and extended family.   She was there with my grandmother and me during a dark period in both of our lives, and accepted me no matter who I was. On more than one occasion taught me that people will love me no matter what… or how different I am.   My family lost this wonderful person last night, but we each gained another guardian angel. While our hearts grieve for her no longer being here with us, for the games of Phase 10 that will never occur… or the songs sung. We know that she will be in our hearts, in the smiles that we see, and in the love we have for one another.   Though she will be missed, we will always feel the love she gave us and we will always love her.

Frances Anderson

1932-2011

Brandon

Frances Eley Anderson, 79, died Monday, May 16, 2011 at Crossgates River Oaks Hospital. Funeral services are 2:00pm Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at Bethel Baptist Church in Brandon with interment in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends 12:00-2:00pm Wednesday at the church.

Mrs. Anderson was an active member of Bethel Baptist Church and the Red Hatters of Pearl, as well as a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, J.W. "Andy" Anderson, Jr.; son, Dale Anderson (Libby); grandchildren, Jennifer Layton O'Neal (David) and Walter Dale Anderson, Jr.; great-grandson, Thomas Maguire; brother, Henry Hawthorne; and sisters, Louise Wixson, Sarah Haskins, Annette Creel, Betty Dulworth, Clara Reid and Margaret Hawthorne. (from: clarionleger.com obits)

Journey

 As I look at life so dear,

I know the journey is clear.

For the journey I’m on is like no other,

so I know I must go further.

Do not weep for me my loved ones true,

for I will always be with you.

Although you could not go with me,

now my heart is filled with glee.

But in your hearts I will dwell,

and that will do you well.

And I will see you from above,

not unlike a passing dove.

I hope to see you smile,

as you go another mile.

But to you it may seem odd,

that I am now with my God. 

Always Remember

I don’t pretend to know why things happen… I don’t know why things turn out the way they do. That is not for me to even worry about, or waste time even entertaining the idea.

I like to pretend that I do understand the way the world works, or even that I know what happened that night. Why I acted the way I did, and I wonder what your thoughts were… what went through your mind… Did you think of me? Was that why you were there? If I had done anything differently…. Would you still be here?



I don’t know…



But you will forever be a part of who I am.



I will never forget you!



Johnny Dixon Brown
1987-2007

In Loving Memory

Wonderful people come in and touch your life as you go through your trials and tribulations, these people travel with you for a while, and offer their unconditional companionship and love… as all to often after a while and for whatever reasons, they once again drift away. Without rhyme or reason you just loose touch and go your separate ways, and occasionally a thought or a feeling will remind you of the friends that have come in and drifted away. But no matter what, there is always a comfort of knowing that they will be there, and that you know that they are well… But there are times when suddenly that feeling of security is taken away, and the friend that you loved has drifted further away than any place on this world.

In Loving Memory Of Loraine Crockett, May You Find Peace On Your Journey, And Know You Were Loved By So Many!